Question

During the Soviet era, 15 ‘union republics’ and several ‘autonomous republics’ were created. Are there any similar areas (political divisions) within the United States or other countries? How are these similar? In what ways are they different?

Book:  Diversity Amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment, Development, 5/E Lester Rowntree

Web Links:

Wikipedia Autonomous Republics (Links to an external site.)

NPR: Article: The Ukraine (Links to an external site.)

Answer 1

During the Soviet Era, the then capital Moscow and the Soviet Union was governed by the communist party. As mentioned in the question, fifteen Union republics and autonomous republics were created that acted as the subordinate to the Soviet Union Government. The autonomous republics were the results of the subdivision of the union republics. The Union republics and the autonomous republics were both based on ethnicity and culture, created for nations.

Several political and administrative divisions together are called the United States, which is, the United States is divided into states. With fifty other individual states, these divisions are sovereign authorities, which can impose its own laws, and has power over its land and domestic affairs under the Westphalia International, without interfering in other nation's affairs, all considered equal under the International Law. The difference is that the states of the United States do not have internationally recognized legal power like Germany, France, etc. Also, they cannot control the movement of people across the states.